After reading all of your posts, Carol and I are going to make the blue bottle windchimes for Christmas presents! Shysue, we find the blue bottles at a local import world market store and some at liquor stores. Maria, Carol said she ordered the bottle cutter from Delphi but she practiced and practiced and practiced on ugly wine bottles. She also took a class on cutting bottles. She has the patience of a saint (She has to...she's married to me! LOL) and is really good at cutting the bottles now. We grind the edges to smooth them out after they're cut. Again, thanks for encouraging us everyone! You're the BEST! Kirk

I have been busy with my classes and creating new fall/halloween card designs, decor, candles and wax melt scents with my brother (for sale in an antique/gift shop), visiting family to decorate for Halloween, and of course decorating for my own Halloween Party lol. I started on all these projects early September, so it hasn't been too much work, I just try to do something new each week. I think I owe it to my grandma for my excitement for the holidays and seasons. She always let us help her decorate when we were growing up, and we still do decorate for the seasons together. Past fun memories and traditions keep me ambitious :) -SD

What a great thread!....I'm drawing a blank,even though I've seen just TONS of ideas the last couple of months! I happened upon a blog or something where this lady got 2 matching gift cards(from Starbucks, I think)..she took one and cut it up into small squares with her Dremel,and sanded/rounded off the edges with the Dremel,too,then used them as beads for a beautiful bracelet,linking them together with jump rings and adding a clasp. It was dainty and beautiful. The 2nd card had the money gift on it. This could be a great gift for a girl or lady to any store, they have some of the cutest gift cards these days. Let me see if I can find where I saw this done. I found it..I hope it's ok to post her link here! What a great idea:) Here is a link that might be useful: ohsocrafty.blogspot.com:gift card bracelet

Hello all, I'm new to your forum. I have previously spent most of my time at the vegetable garden forum but winter is coming... time to get caught up on months of mending! I love to sew for holiday gifts. A lot of my inspirations come from things I see in the store or catalogs that I'd love to buy but I find myself muttering "I could make it so much cheaper!" For the little girl in the family - a barbie doll organizer. take clear vinyl and sew in over a fashion fabic forming little pockets to keep dolls in clothes in. (Think of a shoe storage device that you would hang on the back of your closet door) I saw one in a catalog for $30 and made mine for only $4. I inserted a 'placet' at the top to insert a plastic hanger. Big hit with my daughter. How about decorating plain towels? Add lace, trims, beads, monograms, to accent a bathroom. Know those towels that cost $20 each in the stores? Lingerie pouches, scented potpourri pouches, robes, and aprons are all nice items that don't have to be sized like fashion garments do. Gift bags for wine or office gifts, or even family, are a nice use for scrap velvet and satin. Little kids in the family? Make a how-to-dress-myself book. Use squares of felt (inexpensive and colorful) to make practice pages for buttons, zippers, buckles, snaps, tying shoes, etc. Great for boys who don't want a doll to practice on. Bean bags are a huge hit, especialy when made from fun fabrics. I made some before a hurricane several years ago and they are still playing with them. (Well, that is until the dogs figured out there were beans inside and ate them a month ago.) Well, I've spewed out enough ideas for one post. But if you need more, just spend an hour strolling through the mall or Target and you'll get plenty of ideas to replicate. I actually keep a book of clippings and ideas that I see so that I have an inspirational spot to revert back to when i'm out of ideas. Have fun!